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Syracuse vs. No. 19 Pittsburgh: Game preview and best bets
Can the Pitt Panthers keep up their undefeated start to the season in this Thursday night ACC matchup?
| WHO | Syracuse Orange @ No. 19 Pittsburgh Panthers |
| WHEN | Thursday, October 24th | 7:30 p.m. EST |
| WHERE | Acrisure Stadium | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| HOW | ESPN, ESPN+ |
Quietly, Pittsburgh (6-0, 3-0 in ACC) is one of the final 10 remaining undefeated teams at the FBS level. While the Panthers haven’t played the toughest schedule, wins against North Carolina, West Virginia and Cincinnati are nothing to sneeze at. They get another stiff challenge on Thursday, when they host the Syracuse Orange (5-1, 2-1 in ACC).
Syracuse won the most recent meeting between these teams in a game played at Yankee Stadium last season, with a score of 28-13. However, prior to that meeting, the Panthers had won five straight against the Orange. Will last year’s win start a new streak for Syracuse, or will the rivalry revert to what we’ve gotten used to with a Pittsburgh victory?
With the Panthers being undefeated and the home team in this one, they’re a consensus favorite across the industry. However, the line is under a touchdown, which means an outright upset by Syracuse isn’t out of the question.
If you’d like to place a bet on this game, it’s always smart to start by shopping around for the best odds. Let’s take a look at some of the betting lines at top sportsbooks for this matchup:
| Market | FanDuel | BetMGM | DraftKings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Spread | -5.5 (-110) | -5.5 (-110) | -5.5 (-115) |
| Syracuse Spread | +5.5 (-110) | +5.5 (-110) | +5.5 (-105) |
| Pittsburgh ML | -215 | -225 | -225 |
| Syracuse ML | +176 | +185 | +185 |
| Over | Over 62.5 (-105) | Over 62.5 (-115) | Over 62.5 (-115) |
| Under | Under 62.5 (-115) | Under 62.5 (-105) | Under 62.5 (-105) |
Why bet on the Pittsburgh Panthers
This past offseason, Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi hired Kade Bell from Western Carolina as his new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. It also brought in Eli Holstein via the transfer portal after he redshirted his freshman season at Alabama. Holstein won the quarterback competition during training camp, and the Bell-Holstein duo has resulted in one of the more dynamic offenses in the nation.
Pittsburgh has scored at least 28 points in all but one game this season. When you combine Holstein’s arms and legs, he’s at nearly 2,000 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns. Pittsburgh ranks 12th in college football in passing efficiency. The Syracuse pass defense is also a concern. The team is 114th in explosive pass defense and is outside the top 100 in EPA per pass.
Pittsburgh is on its home field and enters the matchup undefeated. Its opponent has no real answer as to how to slow down the passing and aerial attack. With the spread under a touchdown, it’s not a hard pill to swallow to lay the number with the undefeated home team.
Why bet on the Syracuse Orange
Ohio State moved on from Kyle McCord quickly after he failed to get them to the Big Ten Championship Game and College Football Playoff in his lone year as the starter in Columbus. However, what might not be considered good enough for the Buckeyes is more than good enough for the Syracuse Orange.
When McCord announced his transfer decision, Syracuse was a bit of a surprise. However, to this point, there’s no denying that it has worked out. He is seventh in passing yards (2,160) and has thrown 19 touchdown passes. The strength of the Pittsburgh defense is its run defense, but ranks outside the top 100 in pass defense EPA.
This game is projected to be a shootout, with the total currently in the 60s. It might come down to which team has the ball last. It’s also good to have the poise and experience of a quarterback who has played in big moments, and McCord provides that.
Best bet on Pittsburgh-Syracuse: Over 62.5 (-105, FanDuel)
FanDuel Sportsbook has the best price for an Over bet in this game. Both of these teams have transfer quarterbacks in place who have come in and experienced immediate success under new offensive coordinators. While Pittsburgh might be undefeated, the Panthers have shown the propensity to give up points to teams like West Virginia (34), Cincinnati (27) and North Carolina (24).
Both teams also currently rank outside of the top 100 regarding EPA per pass play on the defensive side. That means that each time an opponent runs a pass play, they perform above expectation against these defenses.
This game is going to be a shootout, with both offenses getting into the 30s.